At a Glance
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the post.
- Brenden Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a low effort in the second half.
- Cunha levels just three minutes later.
- The Yorkshire side extend their best top-flight undefeated streak since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing run of form continued at Leeds' fortress, but manager the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee headed a first-half attempt against the woodwork for the confident home team before the American midfielder finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
With the goal, Amorim was under intense scrutiny after his side had failed to beat struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
However, against opponents who had less time to recover, the forward levelled three minutes after the opener when he latched onto a pass from substitute the Dutchman and slid a finish underneath rushing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the South American's fourth Premier League goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when the manager is without four key attacking players due to a combination of fitness issues and national team commitments.
Not that the hosts to sympathise with that given their own lack of preparation time.
Noah Okafor forced a diving save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when Benjamin Sesko, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned Zirkzee's cut-back wide from six yards out.
The goalscorer, who had a goal ruled out for offside much earlier in the match, also blasted against a post late on.
The draw extends Leeds' unbeaten run to seven games, their longest such streak since 2001, and takes them a significant margin clear of the relegation zone.
For the visitors though, it was yet another opportunity to move into fourth spot, albeit only for a matter of hours, wasted.
Manchester United Breakdown: The Manager's Side Struggle Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, the United coach could be understood for hoping the participating nations make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other forwards is having on the team's options.
It's not that the absent players are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that suffered disappointing results earlier in the campaign.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He evidently does not have full faith in teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward provided the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost instantly after his introduction as a replacement.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others operating out of their natural positions, alongside Benjamin Sesko.
On this evidence, the expensive frontman looks no better than previous struggling signings, lacking in confidence and assurance in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home Zirkzee's cross means it is now a long run without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Safety
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to home was a bit drab affair.
True, there were moments of typical fervor, but the intimidating edge was not as pronounced as in previous fixtures.
Leeds' fans were more preoccupied about their side's inability to get sustained possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The striker's header that struck the post was an rare moment of threat in a tight first half.
It still felt as though Leeds were struggling when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
For a short moment, Leeds' delirious fans thought they were about to secure a rare win against their old foes.
However, there is a much bigger picture for the manager and Leeds to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the campaign, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The task is not done yet but step by step, the team are getting closer to achieving their survival.
What Happens Next?
The Yorkshire club have a Premier League trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a league trip to Turf Moor before also beginning their FA Cup journey with a home tie.
